emu

Yep, Thats the one. The upper promenade is always packed with people whenever I've been to watch

The malpassi seems to be the more common choice on our cars. All sorted now. Thank you all for your responses

Ok, assuming I decide to keep the DHLA's on the side of my pinto, then I think I'm going to need a pressure regulator. Had a quick look around and there only seems to be a couple of choices: Either the Malpassi ones, either with filter bowl or without: OR these cheaper Sytec ones: Is there any real preference, or pro's/con's to one or the other? I do have an old Adjustable EFI pressure reg in the garage, but I assume that won't wind down far enough to use??

I've joined in when I've overheard people slating my car before now, had a good bitch and moan with them. Then, mid conversation, opened the boot to get a drink or something out. They always dissappeared really quickly and quietly As Vista says, the cars that people view as classics tend to be the ones from their teens. We all sit here and say a mondeo will never be a classic car, but then I expect that was what most people thought about 2 door 1100 escorts back in 1975 too. Give it another 10 years though and classic car shows will be full of them. My point is that many people don't see your capri, or my escort etc as classics because they remember them when they were nothing more than everyday, family cars that they saw loads of every day, on every street. Don't get downhearted about it though, you could just as easily go to a show next weekend and have loads of people wanting to chat and take photos

Ive always assumed your roads tend to be quite long, open and straight?? Whereas, we can't go 100 metres without someone sticking a sharp bend in the road to avoid a tree or a rambler. Stiffer suspension is generally regarded as 'better' on twisty roads, whereas its just annoying for highway/ motorway use. I imagine the preference for taller tyre profiles probably comes from the added suspension effect too. Especially given, as you say, that you can easily end up driving on dirt roads. The only time we end up on dirt tracks is driving across a show ground. Like you say, you'd be wrecking your cars and your fillings driving any distance on the sort of suspension we will live with. Personally I'm using 185/60s with 275lb springs, I was worried that going from 175lb it would feel like the suspension had seized, but its fine. The roads round here obviously arent as shocking as I thought they were

Went out for a little pointless drive up the A32 to farnham and back. Then blew a back tyre in the outside lane of the M27. All good fun

That looks just like my first Escort! Its not, mine met an interesting end with a post office van, but I still think the colour looks great on a Mk2. Assuming its a ford colour then my guess would be Electric / Monza blue.

I seem to remember cleaning my windows once, only ever use normal cheapie window cleaner. I used screwed up pages of The Sun* and they came up lovely . My other top tip is to wipe side-to-side on the outside and up-down of the inside. That way you know instantly which side any smears you do get are on *(Other tabloids are available, although I cant vouch for the effectiveness)

I watched a documentary about those raids a few weeks back. The logistics involved where just overwhelming. Tankers refueling tankers to refuel the vulcan. I couldnt keep track of who was getting fuel from who!?

OK, having taken on board peoples views, and more importantly weighed up the pro's and con's for my own circumstances. I've decided I am best of keeping the Pinto. I'm no more likely to buy twin carbs or throttle bodies for a zetec than I am the pinto, So realistically I'm putting a cap on the power potential of both engines anyway. The Pinto is mildly played with already making approximately the same peak power and torque as a standard zetec, which I'd more than likely have run on the original EFI. Therefore, I can't foresee any massive performance gain for the inevitable costs. If I was using the car as a daily then I think I might have swayed the other way. The improved road manners and fuel economy would be definate benefits The zetec option does seem almost to be becoming the modern day equivelant of of the old pinto swap. Cheap, plentiful engines, good power increase and robust. If I was still running the 13 or 1600 crossflow then I definately think it would be worth considering Thank you for your opinions and views everyone

Hmmm, some good points coming across here, certainly some food for thought. The more I think about it, and read, I would be making a load of work for myself. As you say Col all im really gaining is a smooth idle and easy starting. The car is only used for fun so whilst nice to have, neither is really going to make that much difference to me. I think part of my problem (ALL of my problem!!!) is that I'm tight, and was hoping the zetec would magically gain loads of power as thanks for being dropped in a proper car! Plus, OHC is right, I like to fiddle

Hiya Phil. Hope your keeping well I only dragged the escort back out a month or so back, but feel like fiddling with it again already!

This goes on a bit, but bear with me please. I was chatting to a friend yesterday about my pinto'd escort, He suggested chucking the Pinto and putting in a Zetec instead. Initially I dismissed this as the Pinto is already there and is reasonably nippy for a basically standard engine. (Head skimmed, different cam. It made 132 bhp/122 ft-lb on sierra EFI, but is now back on the DGAV). I think it was running about 15.7- 15.8 at Santa Pod. However, I started noseying into it and came to a few conclusions. 1.To get more power out of the Pinto means spending money on proper heads and carbs. Neither of which are particularly cheap. 2. A bog standard 2 litre Zetec is 130 bhp/128ft-lb, so much the same as the Pinto, but I dont know how the spread of power and torque compares. General consensus is that they make a decent amount more once the emissions kit is binned and it is on different induction. 3. Most of the conversion bits I can knock up for myself or get done cheaply enough. 4. I have a megajolt ECU sat here that I can use to run the ignition. 5. There are a few different ways to run it on the DGAV, bike carbs or the original injection so fuelling shouldnt be that difficult. However, I wouldnt really want to do all the faffing about to end up with a car that is no quicker than it is with the pinto, or worse slower. So, opinions are required people. I can find lots of "It's well quick" type opinions, but im after something a bit more subjective. 1/4 mile times are probably the easiest to relate I guess. Ta very much

Mk2 Shape? If so, The fusebox is in/ around the glovebox I think. Autodata reckons Fuse number 9 does both your wipers and your indicators so I would start there. It also does your brake lights so I would assume they arent working either.

What registration is it Jo?